Bhubaneswar: Odisha steel and mines minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena on Thursday said there are significant gold deposits in Deogarh and Keonjhar districts. The minister, while replying to a query in the State Legislative Assembly, said the gold deposits were discovered because of extensive geological exploration.
Gold reserves have been found in the Adas-Ramapalli region of Deogarh and the Gopur-Gajipur region of Keonjhar. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has completed G2-level exploration in the Adas-Ramapalli area, uncovering promising results. Similarly, G2 exploration is underway in the Gopur-Gajipur region following encouraging findings from earlier G3-level surveys, the minister said.
“Both the GSI and Odisha's Directorate of Mines and Geology are continuing their investigations to determine the full potential of these reserves. Once the exploration phase is complete, detailed reports will be submitted to the State government for further evaluation. An expert committee will then provide recommendations on the next steps, including mining and economic utilization,” Jena said.
The minister Jena highlighted the economic opportunities the new gold discoveries present for Odisha. “The percentage of gold content will be determined through laboratory tests, and we remain optimistic about its prospects,” he said.
Odisha is already rich in mineral resources, including iron ore, bauxite, manganese, dolomite, and chromite, making these new gold discoveries a valuable addition to the state's mineral wealth. Keonjhar district boasts of having the country's highest reserve of iron ore. The discovery of gold deposits in Deogarh has put the mining map of the state
